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The 2013 On The Streets Review Of The Year
With 2013 coming to its end, it is only appropriate to have a rather hefty On the Streets roundup. Trends from the current year include less illegally painted walls (with most notable and memorable...
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The Price of Divorce and the Lust for Power - DVD Reviews
'What Maisie Knew', a must see intelligent, heartfelt and emotional tale of a six year old in the middle of acrimonious divorce - Onata Aprile gives a performance to behold. 'The Taste of Money' the...
View ArticleCoriolanus at the Donmar Warehouse
I have two words to explain the delay in blog updates: third year. The work load has pretty much been nonstop since September, and I'm actually writing this to avoid doing other writing I have to do....
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Beyond 'The Bechdel Test': Film's First Female Character Consultant
Beginning as a satirical comic strip in the mid-80s, known only to more radical feminists until the late 2000s, the Bechdel Test rose to international importance in 2013, not only forming the basis of...
View ArticleAbbey Road to Ziggy Stardust, A Conversation With Legendary Sound...
'David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Beatles..it is hard to believe that a single individual would be involved with so many all time greats' I tell legendary sound engineer and producer Ken Scott....
View ArticleHow Public Art Looks Upwards to Encourage Reflection and Recuperation
Recently I found myself lucky enough to be in New York (actually, the reason was that my husband had a significant birthday so we were celebrating which made it extra special). We walked, as tourists...
View Article'The Bachelor' Season 18: Juan Pablo Welcomes Us To 'Juanuary'
Welcome back to the wonderful world of white wine tears, roses, grammatical incorrectness and two-month journeys toward engagement. That's right, "The Bachelor," has returned -- this time with the...
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Celeb Sellouts!
So we ended the year with positive vibes, congratulating those that had made a mark on society and their field of business. But it's the New Year and time for some real talk. Here is the Dotiwala NOT...
View ArticleA Lacklustre Wedding: A Review of Sherlock 'The Sign of Three'
Assuredly one of the best things a TV show can do is to conjure an element of familiarity with the viewer, giving them a sense of reality and presence within the storyline. From the beginning of last...
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Life in the Arts Lane - Week 56 - Christmas in Jordan
Jordan looks on the map like a skinny student in a cagoule carrying a massive rucksack. The thought bubble above his head is the Sea of Galilee and his toes dip into the Red Sea. His rucksack is the...
View ArticleLeopards and Spots - Why Record Labels Never Change
I signed a recording contract in 1977. I also signed a publishing contract with the same company - yes I know it's not a good idea but I didn't know or care about that at the time and anyway, the label...
View ArticleThe Repulse of Wall Street
Last night I watched the new Martin Scorsese film, The Wolf of Wall Street. Great though it was, I felt utterly repulsed the longer it went on. Let me start with the good points. In terms of the films...
View ArticleGiving A Veggie A Bad Name
Former Smith and Meat Is Murder singer, Morrissey has once again made his blinkered views known on meat eaters. Branding belief in the abattoir equal to support of Auschwitz, he has definitely taken a...
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We Shouldn't View Sherlock as an Autistic Savant
Attempting to diagnose a fictional character with a developmental disorder is tricky, if not impossible, without direct authorial intent. But this hasn't stopped legions of dedicated Sherlock Holmes...
View ArticleHard Times and Thriving Design
The recent publication of Modern British Furniture: Design since 1945, Lesley Jackson's fascinating history of the British furniture industry, has reminded me of the adage that design thrives in times...
View ArticleIn Defence of a Friend
Although expected, it has been depressing to witness the amount of criticism received by Polly Jean Harvey after her original and challenging guest edited edition of the Today programme. It has of...
View ArticleDoes Being a D-Lister Beat Slaving Away on the A-List?
Bankrupt, bored, or on the brink of being dead and buried. Life has never been better for the D-lister thanks to the return of Celebrity Big Brother. Just when you thought 'what ever happened to that...
View ArticleWe Need More Films Like '12 Years a Slave', Not Fewer
The fact that 12 Years a Slave was unearthed and made it to the 'big screen' was remarkable in itself. However, Hollywood's smugness was presumptuous; the awards' season wasn't over, and box office...
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A Beginners Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art
Mella Shaw, Saudades - Tumbling Form, 2013. Body stained porcelain. 450cm x 39cm x 46cm. Credit: Sylvain Deleu There comes a stage in life when clip frames and old art posters just don't cut it...
View ArticleSeven Reasons Why 'Splash!' Is Great
The second series of Splash! returned at just the right time on Saturday. As storms braced Britain, the nation curled up on the sofa to watch former EastEnders actor Ricky Groves, the little one from...
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